The Freedom Festival Washington, DC
We achieved our agenda in year one to make Juneteenth a federal holiday recognized and celebrated across the entire United States. But our work is not over. To that end, we are forging relationships with lawmakers across the aisle to ensure that Juneteenth is recognized as not just a Black holiday; but as an American holiday.
We believe in the American founding principles stating that, "All men are created equal and therefore all men deserve liberty and justice". Through this principle, we dedicate a part of our mission to support underprivileged individuals to access higher education through scholarships to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Celebrating freedom of Black Americans helps ensure that Black people (and the entire nation for that matter) do not relive the dark moments of slavery. We have designed the Juneteenth Festival and its celebrations in a way that educates our audience about slavery and its lasting effects still present in society today.
The annual Freedom Festival is a weekend long celebration starting with the Freedom Reception and ending with the virtual music concert aimed to crown the celebration of Juneteenth.
This is a national strategy to reinforce Juneteenth as a federally recognized holiday. We will work to ensure celebration across the entire United States of America is recognized because we believe Juneteenth is an American holiday.
Our target is to create an avenue for Fortune 500 brands to support the celebration of freedom and Black culture in America. It is an opportunity for these brands to think through effective ways they can create for a more inclusive and equitable work environment by the end of 2021.
Scholarships are awarded to brilliant young Black students attending historically Black Colleges or Universities. Scholarships will be announced at the annual Freedom Reception organized during the week of Juneteenth. The goal is to make this a blueprint for Juneteenth celebration across America.
Juneteenth, which is celebrated annually, is an important holiday in the African American community. The day has become the most prominent Emancipation Day holiday in the United States, and commemorates the moment when emancipation finally reached those in the deepest parts of the former Confederacy on June 19, 1865. It is a holiday meant for celebration, rather than mourning and remembrance.
Last year, for the first time, many companies publicly recognized Juneteenth. It was recognized as an opportunity to reflect on our country’s past and, more importantly, to consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future. Many companies used the holiday as a moment of self-reflection and posted on social media in support of Juneteenth. We are asking that we all go a step further and consider how we can connect more deeply with each other and move forward to create permanent and lasting change.
As such, we ask that companies consider pledging to one (or all!) of the following:
Juneteenth is not just a Black holiday; it is an American holiday. The day signals America finally realizing our founding principles of “liberty and justice for all”. Slavery is a dark stain on U.S. history, but Juneteenth is an example that America can move past the transgressions of history in pursuit of a freer society. These are difficult times, and we must find ways to embrace our differences, address underlying issues, and move forward as a country. Will you join us as a partner in helping commemorate and celebrate Black history and culture?
LA QUAN AUSTION
CEO/FOUNDER THE JUNETEENTH FOUNDATION
#JuneteenthDay